NOW: Former Special Envoy for Haiti, Daniel Foote, briefs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He is expected to talk about his resignation, why he called the Biden administration's policy toward Haitians "inhumane," and the way forward.

Watch here: House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory W. Meeks: "The reality is that our current policy towards Haiti is a holdover from the previous administration and is in desperate need of fresh faces and perspectives. .. I am eager to hear from Ambassador Foote today."

SCOOP: Special Envoy for Haiti, Amb Daniel Foote, a career member of foreign service, has RESIGNED. In his letter of resignation, he says he will not be associated with the U.S.'s "inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees." Letter attached. This is confirmed by multiple sources inside both the governments of Haiti and the U.S.

Special Envoy for Haiti, Amb Daniel Foote, wrote in his resignation letter: "Our policy approach to Haiti remains deeply flawed, and my recommendations have been ignored and dismissed."

SCOOP: VP Harris will be opening the general session of the Brussels Forum hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States with remarks tomorrow virtually between 8:35 and 8:45 a.m. EST. Her remarks will focus on the conference's main theme, "re-imaging democracy." She is expected to say, "Autocrats have become more destructive. Human rights abuses have multiplied. The rule of law that underpins our international order is under assault. Even basic truth … Even basic facts … are being undermined by disinformation." Excerpts attached.

Senator Tim Scott, delivering the GOP response to Pres Biden says Pres Biden is filled with "empty platitudes" and that his policies and plans are pulling Americans apart. Senator Scott calls President Biden's plans as a "liberal wishlist" and an attempt to put "Washington" into the middle of Americans lives. He says Democrats are trying to "throw money" because they think they know best.

Out of the Senate chamber and my goodness that was something to witness. Senators (Dems and GOP) were louder than I have ever heard them -- talking and at times openly laughing -- during that long video played by David Schoen of Democrats, reporters & commentators saying "fight." During the spliced video featuring Sen Warren for a long while, Senator Tom Cotton in particular was laughing and shaking his head.

Many Democrats were exchanging troubled looks including Sen Schumer who looked particularly troubled but also laughed and shook his head at times.

Out of the Senate chamber and here's some of what I saw:

GOP senators seemed to pay attention the most as House Dems played videos of former WH Chief of Staffs Gen John Kelly and Mick Mulvaney laying blame for the Capitol Siege squarely at the feet of former Pres Trump. Arguments that seemed to move GOP senators the least were when impeachment managers spoke of MI terror plot against Gov Whitmer & when they pointed to Trump encouraging supporters at his past rallies to attack anti-Trump protesters.

There was no visible response from most sens.

Worth reading about each pardon.

The four Blackwater guards — Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, and Dustin Heard — were convicted in 2014 after fourteen killings of Iraqi civilians, including 9- and 11-year-old boys, were deemed unjustified.

cnn.com/2014/10/22/jus… Former Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison and three years of parole for corruption charges stemming from his misuse of more than $200,000 in campaign funds for a slew of personal expenses.

cnn.com/2020/03/17/pol…

Pres Trump in this 46 minute video he just released says this might be the most important speech he has ever given.

What's clear is that it might be one of his most dishonest speeches he's ever given. He's making baseless claims that courts, the AG & DHS have said didn't happen. Wisconsin has already certified its vote.

But, Trump keeps saying he "miraculously" and "unexpectedly" lost when the mail in ballots were counted. He even brings out charts in this video showing how he lost.

But, it's clear Biden supporters were more inclined to vote by mail.

Over & over again, Pres Trump has claimed many of the people protesting are part of a domestic terrorist movement.

Over & over again, I have talked to many protesters who tell me they are demanding equality for all people including black people. Here are some of their stories. Lisa Brown, of Maryland, came to BLM Plaza outside the WH to protest against no officers being charged directly with the killing Breonna Taylor. "She didn't have a chance to fight for her freedom. We have to fight for our own freedom now … That could have been me, my daughter."

THREAD

Jacob Blake’s dad at the March on Washington told me:
“They didn't treat my son like a human. They treated my son like an animal. He was shooting my son while he was pulling my son's shirt to get him closer to him. What sense does that make?”

pbs.org/newshour/show/… Jacob Blake’s dad said he felt a responsibility to come to the March on Washington today because his father went to the original march in 1963.

He said he had planned to come to the march with his son. “And then this happened. So I said I cannot not be because of this.”

Steve Bannon & three associates were indicted by investigators at the U.S. Southern District of NY. Prosecutors allege the group of conservative leaders defrauded donors and that led to raising "more than $25 million to build a wall along the southern border of the United States. The 24-page indictment says Steve Bannon received more than $1 million and used the money to pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal expenses after the "We Build The Wall" campaign claimed all money would toward their "mission and purpose" of building the wall.

DHS Sec Chad Wolf at a briefing is defending the use of DHS officials to arrest protesters in Portland. He says they are there for two reasons: 1) “violent criminal activity” for 52 days 2) “lack of action” from city law enforcement

Oregon Gov says there is no need for them. "We will not retreat," says Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf of the DHS officials arresting protesters in Portland.

He says officials are only arresting people who are committing criminal acts which he says have been occurring between midnight and 4/5 a.m.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. is announcing charges in the death of Rayshard Brooks.

He says officials spoke to three witnesses and reviewed eight videos of the shooting.

Howard says his office is issuing warrants today. Howard says this is the 9th time his office has prosecuted a case against officers related to a homicide. Nine cases were for killing black men and one was for killing a black woman.

NEW: Dwayne L. Palmer & his mother, Rose, were among the families who met w/ Pres Trump for about an hour. Palmer told me Trump was sympathetic but used a lot of "platitudes." "Kind words," he said. "But, speaking for my family, we are beyond kind words. We want to see action.” Palmer, whose brother Everett died mysteriously in a PA prison, told me this about not wanting to be pictured w/ Pres Trump: "We didn’t want to be used in a photo-op as an opportunity to kind of divert this discussion -- by having black and brown faces next to the president."

Joe Biden on President Trump's photo-op outside St. John's Church: "The president held up the Bible at St John’s church yesterday. I just wish he opened it once in a while instead of brandishing it. If he opened it, he could have learned something." Joe Biden: I call on Congress to act "this month" to start on police reforms. It is time to pass legislation that makes "equal protection under the law" real.

.@AttorneyCrump, the lawyer for the family of George Floyd, says the independent family autopsy found Floyd died "by asphyxia due to neck & back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain."

Big: Crump says physical acts by other officers also caused Floyd's death. .@AttorneyCrump: "George [Floyd] died because he needed a breath of air."

He adds that for Floyd, "the ambulance was the hearse."

Note: Fire Department records show Floyd had no pulse when he was put into the ambulance.

A source has sent me 55 mins of audio of Pres Trump's call w/ governors. Trump told governors they need to get "much tougher" or "you’re going to get overridden." He said, "You need to dominate…if you don’t...they are gonna run over you…You’re gonna look like a bunch of jerks." President Trump also said on the call: "You gotta arrest these people...And you can't do the deal where they get one week in jail. These are terrorists, these are terrorists. They're looking to do bad things to our country. They're Antifa and they're radical left."

NEW: Former VP Joe Biden just dialed into a U.S. Black Chamber call and addressed his remarks to Charlamagne tha God. Biden said, "I shouldn't have been such a wise guy. I shouldn't have been so cavalier...I have never, ever taken the African American community for granted." Former VP Biden, on the call, said: No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, background, religion, or any demographic information. He added that he wants to earn the votes of African Americans and that they are “critical” to his ability to win the presidency.

President Trump begins his Rose Garden briefing by praising his administration’s testing efforts saying the U.S is doing 300K tests per day and saying that number will go up “substantially.” President Trump just said he’s sending $1 billion to states and tribes to increase testing.

But senior officials today said $11 billion will be sent out directly to states to help with testing efforts.

Likely Trump misspoke and meant to say $11 billion.

President Trump has watched the video of the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery. He says, “I saw the tape and it’s very disturbing...I will say that looks like a really good young guy. It’s a very disturbing situation to me. My heart goes out to the parents & the family & the friends.” President Trump also said of the Ahmaud Arbery case: “They have a good governor in the state...And he’s going to be looking at it very strongly and he’s going to do what’s right.”

Pres Trump criticized now ousted Capt Brett Crozier of USS Theodore Roosevelt.

He said Crozier's memo warning Navy leadership that decisive action was needed to save lives of the ship's crew was not "appropriate."

"He shouldn't be talking that way in a letter," Trump said. Capt Crozier, who was applauded by sailors Fri., warned that crew was at risk from virus.

Trump said: "I thought it looked terrible what he did to write a letter. This is not a class on literature...He shouldn't be talking that way in a letter. He could call & ask & suggest."